Veterans outshine history

Tuesday

May 20, 2014 at 2:00 AM

On Saturday evening, New Hampshire Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen and Gov. Maggie Hassan led the Pledge of Allegiance at the second annual Veterans Count Salute Our Soldiers gala at Service Credit Union headquarters in Portsmouth.

On Saturday evening, New Hampshire Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen and Gov. Maggie Hassan led the Pledge of Allegiance at the second annual Veterans Count Salute Our Soldiers gala at Service Credit Union headquarters in Portsmouth.

But these political luminaries were not the stars of the night.

Through a feat of diplomacy, determination and security that simply boggles the mind, Julie Williams, director of the American Independence Museum in Exeter, was able to wheel out, in a Colonial-style display case crafted for the event, the priceless Dunlap Broadside Declaration of Independence, read publicly in Exeter in 1776 by John Taylor Gilman.

The Declaration, along with original drafts of the U.S. Constitution, a Purple Heart awarded by George Washington, a Purple Heart awarded to Bill Schuler and a Congressional Medal of Honor awarded by Franklin Roosevelt to Harl Pease will be on display at Service Credit Union, and may be viewed by the public free of charge from noon to 5 p.m. each day through May 29.

But these shining American treasures, however impressive, also were not the stars of the night.

The stars, as keynote speakers Col. Danny McKnight ("Black Hawk Down") and Jim Webb (former U.S. senator and secretary of the Navy) noted very clearly, are America's military veterans who, from the dawn of our nation's history, have answered the highest calling to protect our sacred freedoms.

The cherished ideals contained in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution have been protected by the men and women of the military who have fought and sometimes made the ultimate sacrifice for Americans' life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

Honored Saturday night were veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. There were parents whose sons and daughters are serving in Afghanistan today and who know the mixture of pride and anxiety that comes from having someone you love put themselves in harm's way in service of our glorious country. When these veterans stood for recognition, the room filled with heartfelt applause and the affection and appreciation were palpable.

The room was moved to tears as Bill Schuler, the former longtime Portsmouth Regional Hospital chief executive officer, officially received his Purple Heart from Maj. Gen. William N. Reddel III, adjutant general of New Hampshire. Webb, who served with Schuler in Vietnam, noted that Schuler's heroism and injuries came at the height of the Vietnam War.

"1969 was a very difficult time to be in combat," Webb said. "We lost more people in action that year than in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. About 12,000 lost their lives."

Schuler, who didn't know he'd be honored, noted that his Purple Heart was originally simply left on the table next to his hospital bed.

In addition to our honored veterans, we need to salute the Seacoast Chapter of Veterans Count board of directors and gala organizers Rick Courtmanche, Rick Greenwood, Renee Plummer and Greg Whalen. We also salute Service Credit Union for hosting this wonderful event, agreeing to host again next year and pledging $100,000 to assist veterans and their families with services they may need to make the transition from the battlefield back to civilian life. Following the credit union's announcement, pledges poured in. Long Term Care Partners pledged $25,000, and this was followed by numerous pledges of $5,000, $1,000 and hundreds of dollars, as those in attendance recognized in their hearts that our veterans, who do so much for us, deserve not just our gratitude but our financial support.

Veterans Count is a program of Easter Seals N.H. that provides emergency assistance to military service members and their families. Ninety-five cents of every dollar raised for Veterans Count goes directly to New Hampshire's military members. If you'd like to learn how you can support the worthy efforts of Veterans Count, visit http://vetscount.org.

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